Gage for liquid-containing tanks.



P. E. TANNEFI.

GAGE FOB LIQU ID CONTAINING TANKS. APPLICATION FILED NOVv 25, I9I4.

131,527., I Patented Oct-17,1916.

JUL/E272?!- further objects and advantages cairn PERRY E. TAI NNER, G13AKRON, OHIO.

GAGE FOR LIQUID-CONTAINING TANKS.

mower.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed November 25, 1914. Serial No. 87&,063.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PERRY E. TANNER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Akron, in the county of Summit and State of Ohio, haveinvented a certain new and useful Improvement in Gages for Liquid-Containing Tanks, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription, reference being had to the accompanying'drawings.

This invention relates to gages for liquid containing tanks, whereby theheight of liquid in the tank is indicated upon a dial so as to beobserved at a glance.

The objects of the present invention are the provision of a device ofthis character. which can be-applied to a tank of awkward or irregularconstruction; the provision of an instrument which can. be installedthrough a very small or tortuous opening; the provision of an instrumentwhich can be adjusted for tanks of different sizes, shapes, and angles;the provision of new and improved expedients for preventing the liquidin the tank from leaking into the dial chamber; the provision of adevice of great simplicity, cheapness and reliability; while will appearas the description proceeds.

Generally speaking my invention may be defined as consisting of thecombinations and construction recited in the claims hereto annexed andillustrated, in one embodiment, in the drawings accompanying and formingpart of this specification, wherein:

Figure 1 is a cross sectional view taken through a tank equipped with myimproved gage; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal cross sectional view through thegage proper; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the inner end of the gagetube; and Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail sectional view showing theleak-preventing means.

Describing the parts by reference characters 1 represents a tank, whichis here shown as of oval shape as is frequently used upon the rear ofautomobiles of the present day. Owing to the particular shape andarrangement of this-tank, my improved gage offers peculiar advantageswhen used therewith although it will be understood that my gage could beused with other tanks with complete satisfaction although Wltlh outexhibiting all of the advantages present in this combination.

A}. the upper part of the tank 1 l have convenience in shown a forwardlyand upwardly extending neck 2 having at its side a filling opening 3closed by a threaded cap at. The-end of the neck 2 is provided with ascrew threaded ring 5 receiving the gland nut 6 which cooperates with asuitable abutment ring or shoulder 7 carried by the tube interior insecuring in place a cylindrical gage head 8. Vhile my gage is notlimited for use with necks of this character, such a neck is of frequentoccurrence in connection with tanks and I have provided a gage which canbe used conveniently with the same. The gage head 8 preferably consistsof a cylindrical metal. shell having walls 10 and a back 11, the lattercarrying a hollow tube 12 adapted to extend through the neck 2 and intothe tank. Projecting axially through this tube is a movable spindle 13which passes through a suitable aperture in the back 11 and through aperforation in a suitable supporting plug 1% at the inner end of thetube. The forward or outward end of this spindle is provided with asuitable indicating hand orpointer 15 adapted to cooperate with asuitable scale .16 mounted within the head.

To the inner end of this spindle is at tached the float stem 17havingf'at its free end the float 18. At a point adjacent to the spindle13 this stein is'coiled upon itself as shown at if.) to provide a helixpreferably having its axis transverse to the stem 17 and preferablysubstantially intersecting the same. In the present embodiment thespindle 1 3 and stem 17 are shown as formed of different pieces ofmetal, the stem, after being wound into the helix 19, being bent into Ushape as shown. at QO-so as to receive Patented Got. it, 1916.

the deflected end 21 of the spindle which is then secured thereto bysoldering, brazing, or in an) other convenient manner. This arrangementpermits the spindle and stem to be made of wire of differentsizes, andis a point of manufacture, although uot indispensable to my invention.

In order to prevent leakage through the tube 12 and into the indicatorhead, and also to prevent any appreciable end shift of the spindle 13, Ihave adopted the arrangement shown in Figs. 2 and 4 hereof.

This arrangement consists of a hollow cupshapod member 25 of. a size andshape to be fitted closely inside the tube 12 asby a closed by pressedjoint, and having its end a plug 26 suitably secured therein, preferably.by a pressed joint also. This plug 26 together with thec'iiottomfij ofithe cup are 6 threads 28 with which the spindle is proa formed withalined apertures-for the passage of the spindle 13,"such apertures beinginternally threaded for the reception of vided at this point. This cupis filled with a suitable pack ing composition which shall cooperatewith the threaded engagement in preventing leakage of liquid along thetube.

10 I have used akind of soft soap with good the apertures must becontinuous it'is necescavity of the cup 25 by means of a small" sary to'cut them after the plug 26 has been secured in place and before the cupor cav- I ity isjilled with the packing material. This material ispreferably introduced into the syringe immediately prior to theintroduction of the spindle. I

In order to limit the movement of the spindle, which is necessary in thecase of an automobile tank to protect the pointer from being damaged bythe thrashing of the float, I have illustrated a wire clip 30 arrangedto be sprung about the end of the tube 12 and provided with a pair ofspaced $5 forwardly projecting fingers 31, 31 arranged to coiiperatewith the portion 20, 21 in limiting the movement of the spindle. clipmay be secured in place by soldering or any other suitable means. v Thegreat advantages of this device are the simplicity and cheapness, thefact that it can be-inserted into'a tank through any kind of tortuousopening because of the elasticity given by the helix 19, and the factthat by bending the stem 17 so as to increase or decrease the anglebetween the. same and the spindle'13 the gage can be adapted for tanksof different shapes, heights, and Widths.

It will be understood that many changes in detail can be made in myinvention with in the terms of the claims hereto annexed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. A gage for liquidcontainingv tanks, comprising a hollow tube adapted to, be secured inthe tank wall and having a hollow head at its outer end, a rotatablespindle in said tube, an indicating device carried by said spindleinside said head, a float operatively connected to said spindle, and aleakage preventing member carried by said tube and through which saidspindle passes, said member having a pair of apertured walls defining acavity, suchcavity contain- This ing a fluid packing substance insolublein the liquidof the tank, and the'spindle and apertures being formedwith intermeshing th e s 2. A leakage preventingmember for liquid tankgages of the rotary spindle type, said member compgising a hollow boxhaving alined'threaded apertures in opposite walls thereof through whichsaid spindle passes, such box being filled with a fluid packingsubstance insoluble in the liquid of the tank, and said spindle, havingthreads meshing with the threads of saidapertures.

3. A gage for liquid containing tanks, comprising a hollow memberadapted to be secured in one ofthe tank Walls and having a hollow headat its outer end, a rotatable spindle in said tube, an indicating devicein said head and connected to said spindle, a fixed member inside saidhollow member and having an internally threaded bore through which saidspindle passes, said spindle having external threads meshing with thethreads in said bore whereby leakage therealong is prevented andappreciable longitudinal movement of the spindle is avoided, and a fioatoperatively connected to said spindle.

4. A gage "for liquid containing tanks, comprising a hollow memberadapted to'be secured in one of the tank walls and having a hollow headat its outerend, a rotatable spindlein said tube, an indicatingdevice'in said head and connected to said spindle,'a fixed member insidesaid hollow member and having an internally threaded bore through outerend of said spindle,- a flexible stem connected directly to the innerend of said spindle andtprojecting angularly therefrom, said stem havinga helical resilient ortion adjacent to its point of .,connection wi insaid spindle and transverse thereto, and a float carried by said stem.

6. A gage for liquid containing tanks comprising a hollow member adaptedto project therein, a rotatable spindle therein,

means for securing said member in the tank wall, an indicating deviceconnected to the outer end of said spindle, a flexible stein connecteddirectly to the inner end ofi said spindle and projecting angularlytherefrom, said state having a helical resilient portion Whose axis istransverse to said spindle and substantially intersects the same, and a.float carried by said stein.

7. A gage forli'quid containing tanks coinpiising a hollow memberadapted to be secured in the tank Wall, a rotatable spindle in; saidmember, an indicating device attached to the outer end of said spindle alient helix attached to the inner end of said spindle with its axistransverse thereto,

a stem connected to said helix, and a float ca ed'by said stem.

in liquid gage of the type comprising a rotatable member, a stemprojecting angw larly therefrom and a float carried by said stem, thecombination with said member and stem 01 a resilient helix arrangedtherebetween and having its axis transverse to said member.

9, The combination with the stem of a devices, a Wire stem attacheddirectly to the inner end of said spindle and projecting therefrom at anangle, and fingers connected to said tube at its inner end andprojecting upon opposite sides of said stem connection and adapted tolimit the move'mentthereof.

11. A gage for. liquid containingtanks comprising a hollowmember'adapted to project tl'ierein, a rotatable spindle arrangedtherein and projecting throughthe inner end thereof, an indicatingdevice connected to. the outer end of said spindle, a float, a stem toWhichsaid floatis attached, said stein being connected to the inwardlypro jecting end of the spindle, said stem being coiled adjacent saidpoint of connection, the

axis of said coil being at right angles to the axis of the spindle,whereby a joint is provided flexible in one direction but rigid in adirection transverse thereto.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto afiix my signature in the presence oftwo Witnesses.

PERRY E. TANNER. Witn'esses: v BRENNAN B. VVns'r, Heel-LB. MGGILL.

